What will the kids eat--Tasu, the Pan Asian?

Tasu Sushi and Sashimi

I find it funny when people ask me what can the children eat when going to an Asian restaurant. Should we have gone to a pizza or a burger joint instead? My response is "you feed your child what you eat." Asian children do not typically have an option of eating chicken nuggets, burgers or pizza. They eat what is available to them...fried fish, noodles, rice, stir-fry, etc. The flavor may not be as intense as the adult version, but it is tastier than chicken nuggets, I can assure you. This is your chance to develop our little ones as the future connoisseurs and to help them establish the flavor profile, moving forward.

Tasu Kids Meal-Tempura Shrimp & Vegetable

Tasu Kids Meal-Korean Galbi and Chinese Lo Mien

The best place, I think, to introduce the little ones to the Asian flavors, is the "Pan Asian" restaurant. This type of restaurant offers a range of Asian cuisines, all in one roof. In the DC area, I often visited "Cafe Asia". This joint serves Sushi, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese food. I think the US is the only country in the world where this concept developed into fine dining other than a food court vendors congregation concept. It does reflect who we are...a melting pot.

Tasu Peking Duck

Tasu in Brier Creek, Raleigh, is a "Pan Asian" joint that serves an awesome variety of Asian dishes, ranging from sushi, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai. On the children's menu there were Korean short ribs, shrimp tempura, Lo Mein. Our children love this place. On the regular menu, there were endless of dishes. I was, however, hooked on one of them--Peking duck! You may ask...Peking duck in a Pan Asian joint? How could it be good?  It was surprisingly awesome.  The crispy skin was lacquered soy sauce brown; the meat was moist with no fat hanging around. Wrapping it with scallion, Hoisin sauce, cucumber, chili and pancake...I was very happy. The sushi here is great, but I would recommend you try the tuna tartar. A similar combination as what I had at Alan Wong in Hawaii, it has a layer of avocado, topped with sliced jalapeños, and eaten with crackers. The flavor balance is better here.

Tuna Tatar-East Meets West at Tasu

It is a comfort to me going to a Pan Asian place. This concept that has been embraced in South East Asia and other places around the world since the spice trades linked the Pacific and Indian oceans together and cultures traveled along the Silk Road. It is no secret that American cuisine, while searching for its roots, does not need to look anywhere else but within. Though, to compose a new paradigm of taste, we need to acknowledge the newcomers and their variety of flavors.  Our children will appreciate growing worldly, all because their parents lead the way.

Cheers!
Teera